Tequila Sunrise
by LilyGhost
Summary: Stephanie tries to drown her sorrows at Chevy's while Ranger uses the situation to his advantage so he can finally make Stephanie his. A Ranger POV story.


**I thought it'd be fun to take a few things from Hard Eight and Twelve Sharp and sort of combine them to make a short story with a very happy ending. All familiar characters, scenes, or phrases belong to Janet. The mistakes are mine. **

"Babe? What are you doing here?" I asked her, arriving at Chevy's ten minutes after Hal told me she'd been here for the last twenty minutes.

"I'm drowning my sorrows in a Godzilla-sized margarita," she told me. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

This is what I'd been afraid of, and what had pulled me off a break-in I'd been checking out. Stephanie's cars die at an incredible rate when she's stone cold sober, I don't want her driving if she'd taken even a sip of the gallon-sized drink. So I'd left Tank to deal with the authorities and the clients and came straight here. Stephanie's eyebrows rose as she watched me pick up her drink and do a sniff test. Just as I expected, it was _light _on lime juice and _heavy _on tequila.

"Before you say anything, Ranger, I am _not _drunk," Steph told me. "I've only taken a few sips."

A few sips for anyone else wouldn't have warranted a safety check. One mouthful of _that _drink by _this _woman had impending disaster written all over it.

"If you have anymore of that, Steph, you'll be more than just drunk."

She looked into her glass, scowling at the contents inside it. "But I deserve this drink."

"That may be true, Babe, but if you get even a quarter of the way through that, you would've had to call me to come get you."

Steph sighed. She knew I was telling the truth. She can't handle alcohol and Stephanie wouldn't risk the lives of anyone else - or her still relatively drivable car - by attempting to get herself home. My night is suddenly looking up. The last two times she'd been drunk around me, I had respected her and left her to sleep off the effects of the alcohol in her system. _This _time, I'd still respect her, but Stephanie won't be sleeping off this margarita alone.

I pulled out my phone and sent Tank a quick text saying I'm offline until further notice, then I set my sights on the woman next to me. Stephanie had the glass in her hand again and she took a healthy swallow. I tried not to watch the liquid slide down her throat, much like my dick wanted to do, but I couldn't have torn my eyes away from her if a live grenade had just been tossed at me.

Now isn't the time for that, but just knowing that it will be _very _soon put my body on high alert. I pulled my eyes off of Steph's mouth - and my thoughts away from memories of her naked body writhing under mine - and tried to stay neutral while Stephanie told me what brought her here. I have no doubt that she will. Stephanie tells me everything ... _eventually_.

"Why are you 'drowning your sorrows'?" I asked her. "Is it Morelli again?"

They'd called it quits a few weeks ago. And as far as I know, they haven't been in contact. But I wouldn't put it past Morelli to try getting Stephanie back. He'd be a _idiotic _asshole, instead of just an ordinary one if he didn't try.

"No, it's not Joe," she told me, making the knot in my chest loosen. "The last time I saw him was at the station, and it looked like he was about to call me something other than _'Cupcake'._"

"If he does, Babe," I told her as a heads up, "I _will _be paying him a visit."

She patted my arm reassuringly, as if I'm not a man capable of removing Morelli's head from his body and then disposing of both.

"It's okay, Ranger. Joe can say what he wants about me. I don't care anymore."

"_I _care."

"Yeah, you do, don't you?" She asked me, smiling a little for the first time.

"Yes. Now tell me why you needed a margarita this late on a Tuesday night."

"I had a run-in with Vinnie and Joyce earlier today. Vinnie decided to hire her again without telling me, and was trying to make us fight each other for the same stupid skip."

My lips twitched when I thought of how that conversation must have gone.

"What did you tell Vinnie?" I asked, anticipating her answer.

"I told Vinnie that he could take Joyce and Hudson Polltick - the skip - and shove them both up his ass. And if there was any room left there, he could also add my resignation because I quit. So I guess I'm unemployed again."

"No, you're not. You have a job at Rangeman any time you need one, Babe. There's a full-time position that just opened up away from the 'dunce desk'."

"You won't fire anyone just to help me out, will you?"

"No."

Steph was quiet for a minute before she spoke.

"Joe always said you only offer me jobs to get in my pants," she said, finally.

"Morelli would say that," I told her. Joe would've been less jealous of me if he honestly thought sex was my only interest in Stephanie. "Do you believe him?"

She blew out a sigh. "No."

"Steph, all three of us know that I don't need your 'gratitude' to get in your pants."

"No, you definitely don't."

"How about you leave the margarita here and take off with me instead?" I said.

"Then what?" She asked.

Good question, but I don't think she'll want my answer to it right now. That will be a conversation for tomorrow morning when her head's clear and she's not pissed at her life anymore.

"Then ... you'll no doubt pass out on your couch before I even get the door closed behind us."

Stephanie covered her face with her hands. "You're never going to let me forget that, are you?"

"No."

"You should take it as a compliment," Steph told me.

"How so?"

"If I didn't feel safe with you, that never would have happened."

"So you're saying that you trust me?" I asked.

She peeked out at me from between her fingers. "Yup. With everything but my hormones."

Steph took both hands away from her face and covered her mouth instead.

"Forget I said that," she told me.

"I don't want to forget that one, Babe."

She rubbed at her temples for a minute before dropping her hands in her lap.

"You were probably right," she said. "I'm suddenly feeling warm and very ... _happy _... so I have to be drunk."

"No, Steph, that reaction is solely from being this close to me."

"Cocky much?" She asked.

"You know the answer to that one personally," I told her, remembering the way Steph's eyes and mouth both opened in surprise when I'd entered her the first time we'd ever made love.

My 'cockiness' pleased her then, and from the look of Steph now, she wouldn't turn down a reminder. By tomorrow afternoon, Steph will not only be reminded of how good we were together, she'll see exactly how good we _will _be together, because I'm not leaving her apartment without some type of understanding reached.

Steph swallowed visibly, and I fought a grin when her eyes dropped down to my lap. She jerked them back up as soon as she noticed that I'd caught the movement. Stephanie then grabbed her drink and chugged almost the entire thing down. Either Steph was hoping the cold drink would cool her overheated body or hoping that the tequila would knock her out before I tried anything. She's safe tonight, since I want her responsive not comatose when I take her again, but tomorrow she's all mine.

"Babe ..." I said to her, when she put the huge glass back down on the table, using both hands to ensure it landed safely.

"Well, I did pay for it," Stephanie told me. "And you said you were driving me home, so there's actually no good reason for me to stay sober."

"And those are the _only _reasons for you downing that?" I asked.

"The only ones _you _need to know about," she told me.

I let her off the hook, because I already know _I'm _the biggest reason she has for pretty much everything. I waited for her to pick up her bag, and then I followed Stephanie out of the building. As I steered her towards my Turbo, I called Hal and arranged to have someone come out and pick up Steph's car and take it to Rangeman.

The booze was obviously already kicking in, but Steph was alert enough to catch her car's destination.

"_Rangeman?_"She asked. "Why is my car going there when you're dropping me off at my apartment?"

"I'll be driving you to work, Steph, so you don't need your car tonight. It'll be waiting for you when you get to Rangeman."

One car will suffice, since I'm staying with Stephanie tonight and intend to escort her personally to her new office on the fifth floor. Steph's alertness didn't last long after I pulled out of Chevy's lot and drove us to her apartment. I could have just taken her to Rangeman, but I didn't want her first day at work to be filled with hangover jokes after the men spotted her on camera, which would lead to the guys getting taught a thorough lesson about what's off limits to them. Steph's eyes were closed, but I knew she wasn't sleeping. _Yet_. At least I won't have to worry about her questioning my presence tonight since she'll most likely be out cold by the time her head hit the pillow.

"Steph?" I said, after I parked in an inconspicuous spot towards the back of her building.

"_Hmm ...?_"She said, barely opening her eyes to look at me.

"Are you still with me?"

"I'm with all three of you," she told me, squinting in my general direction. "I know you said 'one Ranger is all I'll ever need', but _three _of you is actually kind of hot."

"You are definitely drunk," I told her.

"Yep. And I'm also going to stay right here, I think. These seats are really comfy."

I watched her sink further down into the bucket seat and knew I had about five seconds to get her out and up the stairs before I had to carry her. I'd prefer the carrying, but that would only embarrass Stephanie tomorrow when she put the pieces together and figured out how she got into her bed.

"That's not a good idea, Babe. Come on, I'll walk you up."

"_Oookay _..." she told me, but made no attempt to move.

I smiled to myself as I got out of the car and walked to her side of it.

"Steph?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you need me to carry you?" I asked, hoping she'd say yes.

She blew out a breath. "No. I can do it. Just give me a second to make the car stop spinning."

I reached in and got my arm around her, helping Steph sit up again.

"You're always so impatient," she said. "What's with that?"

"I have lots of patience," I told her, and I'm using it all tonight.

The only thing keeping my hands platonic right now, is the fear that Stephanie would accuse me of taking advantage of her.

She gave an adorable snort, but started cooperating as I walked her to the lobby of her building and into the elevator. I didn't bother asking Stephanie for her key, since it would take her too long to dig around her bag for it, and just opened her door without the use of one. Steph was looking on with considerable interest, but I know she'll forget how exactly I did it. I would've shown her how to pick locks - especially her own - a long time ago, but I like her having to call me for help. Stephanie needs me in a lot of different ways. And tomorrow she'll realize that.

"Why don't you go change, Babe," I told her, "and then I'll tuck you in."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"You're not going to try anything while my judgement is impaired, are you?"

"No."

That will come later.

Steph looked momentarily disappointed, but she shook it off.

"Okay. I'm just going to get into PJ's and brush my teeth. I'll be fine now. You can head back to Rangeman."

"I said I'm sticking around for awhile. Go get ready for bed."

She tried to roll her eyes at me, but clutched her head before they got very far.

"Fine," she said. "I might have forgotten to eat before heading to Chevy's, so maybe backup isn't such a bad idea."

I gave her a few minutes head start, and then I went to wait for her inside her bedroom. Stephanie came out three minutes later, wearing those little shorts that drive me crazy and a tank top that left a few inches of her stomach bare. I purposely steered my thoughts away from how badly I want to peel both off of her, and pulled her blanket aside instead.

"Hop in, Babe," I told her.

She looked from me to the bed, like this was some sort of trap. Her instincts are spot on, because it _is_. Stephanie just won't discover that until morning when she wakes up with me beside her. I may be opposed to taking advantage of _her_, but not of this situation.

"It's okay, Steph. I promise I won't bite unless you ask me to."

Her shoulders relaxed, and she gave me a small smile. "Like I would _ever _ask you to bite me," she said, sliding under the covers.

"You asked me to do a lot more than that last time I was in this room with you," I couldn't help saying.

"Ranger ..." she said, back to being uneasy.

"I swear I will not attack you, Babe."

Her teeth let her bottom lip go as she watched me come close to brush my lips softly against hers.

"Get some sleep, Steph," I said, and turned her lamp off.

I sat in the chair by her bed until I heard her breathing even out. Then I kicked off my boots and put my phone and Glock on her bedside table, and climbed in next to her. I would have liked to have stripped before I joined her, so I could feel the soft skin of her body touching mine, but I know Stephanie can't think clearly when I'm naked and near her, and we need to iron out a few things before we can be together again. Steph didn't move at all when her bed dipped under the weight of my body, so I waited only two minutes to pull her slack body into my arms, and fell asleep myself.

"Ranger?" Steph asked groggily the next morning, lifting her head from _my _pillow.

Damn it. All I would have to do right now is hold her hips still and thrust up into her if our clothing wasn't in the fucking way. My good intentions are being severely tested, feeling her curves pushing into my body in all the right places.

"Morning, Babe," I said, sliding the mess of curls away from her face so I'd have an unobstructed view of it when Stephanie realizes she'd climbed completely on top of me while she was asleep. Her arms were tucked under mine, gripping my shoulders from behind. Her legs were resting on the outer edges of mine. Stephanie's beautiful face had been pressed between my pillow and my neck, and her breasts are currently flattened against my chest. It took every ounce of control I had to not reverse our positions.

"Why are you in my bed?" Steph asked, her cheeks turning pink right in front of my eyes as she took stock of where her body is in relation to mine.

"Because you want me here?" I said.

Stephanie didn't argue, but she also didn't answer my question.

"But you were all set to leave after I got settled," she told me, remembering the night before clearly.

"No, you _thought _I was leaving. I had no intention of going home last night. Or this morning, either."

Her eyes widened exactly like they did _every _time I slid into her heat.

"Don't you have to go to work?" She asked me, looking a little panicked.

"No. And since _I'm _now your boss, I'm telling you that you don't have to report to work until tomorrow."

"That's really convenient ... for _you_," she said.

"And it'll be extremely _good _for you, Steph."

She closed her eyes briefly, then they opened again with a haunted look that made her blue eyes appear darker.

"There's _no _question about how good it would be, Ranger, but there has to be more to it than just a 'good' morning."

I decided to do what I've been aching to. I wrapped my arms around her and flipped Steph onto her back, settling between her legs.

"You just saved me the time of having to convince you of the same thing," I told her, kissing her lips. "Now we can put those minutes to much better use."

"Oh no you don't," she said, when my hand started moving under the little top she was wearing. "You can't say something like that and expect me to get distracted and not question you about it."

I left my hand where it was right below her breast, but didn't move it any further up.

"Question away, Babe," I told her.

"Are you saying you want a relationship with me?"

"We already have one, Stephanie, but now we're both mature enough to work on it."

"Hey!"

"It's true, Steph. You didn't want someone constantly around to have to answer to, and I didn't know how to answer to _anyone_."

"And now you do?" She asked.

"No," I told her, "but at least now I know that I want to try."

"With me?" She asked, like she was waiting for the catch.

"With you only, Babe."

"Okay, then. Where were we?" She asked, bringing my head back down to hers.

"That's it?" I asked her, wanting to be completely sure Stephanie knew what she was agreeing to.

"That's it," she repeated. "You love me, right?"

"Right," I said, moving my hand up and cupping her breast.

"And you won't get pissed at me for not changing, will you?"

My hand squeezed gently and I brushed her nipple with my thumb.

"There's nothing to change," I told her, meaning it.

Stephanie is everything I can't be, and I wouldn't want her acting like somebody else because I don't want anyone else.

"And you're not going to treat me like I'm just your bed warmer?" Steph asked, even as the bed and her body was in fact warming up.

"Rangeman's rules will apply to you, Steph, but I can't pretend that I don't care about you. If that's going to be a problem, let's deal with it now."

"It's not a problem," Steph said. "I just don't want the guys to think I'm only there because I put out."

"Stephanie, you've earned your place as their co-worker and their friend. Don't put Morelli's shit on me or on them."

She smiled. "I only said that to hear you say something along those lines."

"It's true, Babe."

"I know. I think we've got the ground rules worked out, so we can do something else now."

"Like what, Babe?"

"Like ... you getting rid of your clothes ... and mine while you're at it."

"I can do that. You don't know how many ways I've come up with to get you out of your clothes."

"So ... Morelli was right?" Steph asked.

"Only about my feelings towards you," I said to her. "And they don't all revolve around sex."

"That's too bad, because my feelings towards you are almost all about sex right now."

I peeled her little tank top over her head and reached for the waistband of her shorts.

"I know just how to help you with those particular feelings," I told Stephanie, shifting to get her shorts down her legs.

"See, I knew that you were the right man for me," Steph said, tugging up my t-shirt to reach the button on my cargo pants.

When Stephanie got my pants opened, I took my time showing her just how 'right' she and I are.


End file.
